See I could not, with any certainty argue either way from personal experience but this thread is characteristic of all these types of threads... There is no substance!! - if it's better then articulate why it's better.
All I ever hear is
1) better weather
2) beeches
3) better lifestyle
4) better quality of life
but no one ever nails it down - I know I'm not alone as even Stewart Lee made the observation in his comedy vehicle program recently.
There is no definitive answer to "Why Australia?" because the question itself requires a subjective response. Different people have different reasons. But I'd say quality of life is pretty specific. Some people use this same reason for preferring the UK.
I'm an Australian who lived in the UK for nearly 6 years. Here's just a few of the reasons why I decided to go back home to Australia:
- Bigger house, with more land, for a lot less than I'd pay in the UK
- Cheaper private schools
- Narrower gap between rich and poor
- Egalitarian society
- No class system
- Better social mobility
- Generous government support for working families
- Superior quality of life
- Wide open spaces
- Planned cities
- Huge public parks absolutely everywhere
- Most infrastructure is new, clean, and in excellent condition
- Great public healthcare service (comparable to the NHS in some ways; better in others)
Here's our house in the UK which we still own:
2 bedrooms, one bathroom, less than 400sqm of land (more photos
here,). It's worth about £90,000. We don't even have a driveway.
Here's our house in Australia:
Four bedrooms, one bathroom, 864sqm of land, and an outdoor spa (more photos
here and
here). We bought it for about £95,000.
Britain has many great points, and there are some aspects of life in the UK that I will always miss. I enjoyed my time over there. The UK is so quaint and old fashioned, it's hard not to like the place. But on balance, Australia wins every time for me.
I'm not saying it's not better but for goodness sake point out what it is the makes the place appealing..and if you cant do that without mentioning the weather then maybe....just maybe there is more research to be done.
For a lot of people, the weather is a really big deal (
Seasonal Affective Disorder, anyone?) Personally I love the UK climate and hate the Australian heat, but I think most would say the opposite.
Having said all of that, here's my advice for anyone considering a move Down Under:
Australia is not for everyone. If you have no compelling reason to go... don't.
Write a list of the things you really want out of life. If you already have them in the UK (or you're already on the way to getting them) then why look elsewhere? Australia won't necessarily change your life for the better; it's not a magic wheel that spins straw into gold.
Like most places, Australia is a land of swings and roundabouts. You have to trade them off against each other. Some things are cheaper - a lot cheaper - than the UK. Other things are more expensive - a lot more expensive - than the UK. Find out what they are, and compare them. Try to estimate their impact on your family budget.
Consider your relationships with family and friends. Are you so close that you can't live without each other? Are you fairly independent? Could you cope effectively without your usual support network for months on end? Do you make friends easily, or are you happy to have "quality over quantity"?
Do you enjoy regular overseas holidays on the continent? Bear in mind that these will be almost unaffordable when you're flying from the southern hemisphere. Driving to Paris is great fun, but the Chunnel doesn't quite reach Australia. If you're the sort of person who would miss the benefits of proximity to Europe, think carefully before making a decision.
Above all, don't move to Australia "just to see what it's like". If that's your primary motivation, take a holiday instead - and make it a long one.
